THE RICKETY-REEKS DIAMOND

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 1, 3 January 1927, Page 9

THE RICKETY-REEKS DIAMOND

. i (By GEORGE H. HOLDEN.) j

"Sell, or throw the cursed thing away." j John B. Reeks, the junior partner of i Rickety, Reeks and Co., Diamond Mer-; chants, Hatton Garden, was emphatic. j Thomas R. Rickety stood looking out i of the window at the March blizzard that was piling snow on the pavement outside at the rate of a-quarter of an I inch every hour. "Nothing of the kind," j he said at length. "A deal is a deal, j Reeks, and you know it. I've given in to you before, but my mind is made up over this. The stone has cost us hard j cash. True, it*is a supposed chip off the! the old Hope diamond, but who cares?": "Not you, evidently," broke in Reeks, i "But no other Hatton Garden dealer; would touch it, let alone buy it. And j why should we? I'm not what you call! superstitious, but the blessed thing seems to have a history I don't exactly like, j somehow." I Rickety uttered a scornful laugh. ' "If j you're not superstitious, what "is it j that's troubling you ? The mere fact that the gem is supposed to bring misfortune on its owner within two hours,! is a fairy tale. It probably originated j from some Indian fakir wanting to keep; the stone himself and, fearing to lose it,, could think of nothing better than put a' spell oil it to frighten folk." ; "It may be myth or even fairy talk I or whatever else you like to call it," j declared Reeks hotly, "but until I'm satisfied that the thing is straight I'm 1 washing my hands of the whole affair. I Keep it by all means, my dear Rickety, | if you feel so inclined, but do so at your j 'own risk." I Reeks donned his overcoat and was reaching down his hat when Rickety, ! who was still watching the blizzard outside, noticed a taxi drive up. "Why, here's Helen Templeton," he I called.;, "Don't go for a minute, Reeks. I Helen's an Egyptologist, and we'll ask her opinion." j "Thought I should just catch you , before closing time," broke in Helen, j after greeting the two men. "The truth j is I'm off to Egypt on Thursday and want my jewellery stored. Probably be | back about September. Yes, exploring again—another mummy tomb this time, j And by all accounts it should yield j records more significant than even Tutankhamen." Both Rickety and Reeks nodded approvingly. "Oh, bv the way, Miss Templeton," began Rickety, "as you know the East so well, what is your candid opinion | about superstitions connected with rare old diamonds ?" Helen laughed. "Superstitions about precious stones are legion in the Orient. The fact is one gets so accustomed to them that they become sort of a second nature. I mean, of course, that however one may ridicule some of the curious notions on first thoughts, you seem to be won over somehow. The funny part of it is that the thing grows on one so gradually as to be unperceived, and you cannot tell when or how it started, or where it all ends." "Exactly what I think," declared Reeks, pulling off his overcoat as he warmed to the subject. Rickety's fingers drummed uneasily. "Some of the ideas are fiction pure i and simple, of course. In such instances, a generation or so sees them fizzle out, their place taken by others." "Most of it is fiction, I should say," interposed Rickety. "Not by„ any means," answered Miss Templeton. "There are at least half a dozen diamonds that have been damned for one reason or other for many years. Look at the number of tragedies surrounding the Hope diamond and the Koh-i-noor. Then comes the Cupar stone. No nigger of ordinary birth will touch this gem if he can help it. To do so is supposed to bring death within a few hours. True, odd cases are known where this did not happen, but even here the culprit —shall I say —eventually became a leper or what not, with the result that his or her end was more or less untimely." "The Weiss diamond is equally accursed- Discovered by a German named Weiss or White, the stone was called after the poor man. How he j came to get it' nobody can say. But he hadn't possessed it more than five or six hours before he was found stabbed to death. The assassin was never found, nor wa; the stone."' "The subject is a study in itself, and I do not pretend to know all the vital j points connected with it. Once the facts could be collected, one would have more data than would fill a book, and the reading would be more thrilling than the most popular mystery fiction we have to-day." "Possibly," admitted Rickety. "And yet what power can cast such a spell over a mere piece of coal such as this?" He placed a diamond on the tahle as lie ! spoke. "Is it humanly possible?" Ij wonder. "And aren't the probabilities j against it, don't you think?" j "Those who have never seen the Orient j seldom think it possible," agreed Miss j Templeton. "But to anyone who knows j the Orient, its fascination, its grandeur j and untold wealth, the strange manners and the curious customs, coupled with the air of mystery that pervades everywhere, then it is that one can view the other side of the picture." During this time Miss Templeton's ej'es seemed riveted on the stone Rickety placed in front of her. Now a strange solemnity seemed to pervade the room,, and even Miss Templeton might have been accused of trying to evade further questions. Reeks noticed she touched the stone but once, and then she drew her finger away sharply as if bitten, and her face turned deathly white. It was after she actually touched the 'one that she seemed reticent to talk. Without warning, Rickety's loud laughter burst over the solemn air. Even Reeks laughed. But his was one of those little forced laughs that start in the throat for want of spontaneity. Yet the whole thing seemed so ludicrous. Suddenly Reeks clutched Rickety's ; arm, and pointed to Miss Templeton. Her eyes were gradually closing as if longing for a deep sleep. Rickety bent forward and touched her. Though she breathed, her whole frame seemed limp and helpless. When Reeks brought the doctor, Rickety met them at the door, his face white and drawn. Even the doctor ; shook his head as if in doubt. At length Miss Templeton made a slight movement and seemed to be muttering something unintelligible. The doctor bent forward quickly, watch in hand. Then turning to Rickety and Reeks he inquired as to the patient's attitude when she fell asleep. "Just as I expected," he said, as if summing up the case before, committing himself.

_ "Miss Templeton is in a trance, continued tlie doctor. "Keep very still. She may have certain hallucinations very soon. If not. the duration of her sleep may be prolonged, and it may be days or even weeks before she recovers." The doctor was right. Miss Templeton's inaudible mutterings now became clearer, but still without direction of purpose. Reeks noticed that Rickety's hands clutched the table for support. He himself felt in the hands of some strange ; power. | At this moment the doctor, still with i watch in hand, put his finger over his mouth as a sign to the partners for absolute silence again. Barely had he I done so when Miss Templeton's hallucij nations restarted. i "I see a strange diamond—one of the most accursed of stones," she went on. "With it I see a curious shadow, and | which I fear may ultimately lead to mis- | fortune. . . A man in the prime of life j is involved in a struggle with a priest j for the contents of a small vessel, ap- ; parently sacred according to Oriental I rites. The shadow is moving more quickly now. This is not a good sign. 1 here is also a dagger, but whose j it is I am at present uncertain, for the j shadow is first to one side and then to i the other. Hush, an intruder is upon ius an enemy, I take it—for the dagger iis unsheathed. Hush! Hush!" j A motion from the doctor signified j that it was over and that the patient j would be round again shortly. I Reeks straightened his aching limbs, j Rickety, trying to be brave inside and , anxious not to appear shaky, comI menced to walk through the door into ; the next room. I That moment was a decisive one, for ,no sooner had he gone than Reeks stepped over to the safe, slipped the much-talked-of diamond into his pocket, land substituted a paste stone. j "Well, I never!" j Reeks turned sharply at the sound of Miss Templeton's voice. At the sight of Rickety's face, as he rushed into the room, she gave a startled cry. "I must ■ have been dreaming—almost a lifetime, it seems. Pray what time is it?" ! Seven-thirty, exactlv," answered Reeks. | "Thank God all is well," put in Rici kety. "Thought it was all over with j you." | "It must have been a shock to you," admitted Miss Templeton. "But al- , though I know I dreamed quite a lot. strange to say I cannot remember a j word of it. Now I must be getting I along." ° I "'Suppose you stay a while?'" Ricketv suggested. "Say half an hour. The blizzard still rages, and the snow is almost a foot deep. Besides, you're not well, and might easily catch cold. We will get a taxi for you by then." By some coincidence, all commenced I to laugh—Rickety, because Miss Templeton seemed much better, and Miss Templeton at his concern for her. Reeks laughed at his own stupidity. "Yes, that's better," put in Rickety, aa| Miss Templeton stood up and commenced to pace the floor. "Now, suppose you walk down the corridor for a while ? The effort will warm you." Reeks watched her down the corridor. Then he turned back into the room, intending to put back the original stone in the safe. Alas!— Rickety had seated himself directly opposite. His head was in his hands, as if in deep thought. "Think I'll just walk round to Barthorpe's restaurant, and order coffee to be sent up," Reeks broke in, at the same time slipping his hand into his pocket to make sure the diamond was there. "What do you think ?" "Yes,"' agreed Rickety, "and have it w-ell rummed." Outside, Reeks trailed through the snow, still keeping a grip on the gem. But he did so unconsciously, for all the time he was wracking his brain to know how to replace the diamond without Rickety knowing. Unfortunately Barthorpe's was crowded, but he sat down in one of the less, thickly peopled places, and pondered his course of action. So engrossed was he that the idea of ordering the coffee completely slipped his memory. Slowly the minutes ticked by. Now and again Rickety glanced at the clock, as if uneasy. Once he got up and tried the safe door. Then he remembered that Reeks had the key, and sat down again. It was the clock striking eight that aroused Rickety out of his reverie His head was swimming, and his limbs ached violently. - Even Miss Templeton shuddered if as a warning of some calamity I about to befall. Knock! Knock! Knock! Rickety give a start of surprise, then crossed "to" the door and opened it. Next moment Detective Chadbourne stepped inside, and was explaining how j Reeks had been found at the junction i of Graham and Leopold Streets, stabbed in the back. "No, not fatal, we hope," the detective continued, "but I hurried along to give warii'ng, and glean any information I could." The detectivc assisted Rickety to a chair, but went on questioning him as if his very life depended on it. "Exactly, I think I understand," he ! said at length. j. "But tell me, Mr. Rickety, have you j anyone connected with your firm prej sumably of Oriental origin ?" j Rickety shook his head. "No.one," ' he followed up, as soon as he could conI trol his speech. ! "Strange," muttered the detective. "We were quite sure that Mr. Reeks' assailant was of Oriental birth. Moreover, there was blood on this key—blood that belongs to no other than a Hindu. Why the assassin should leave this is not quite clear at present, for nothing was discovered on Reeks when we found him —not even the merest scrap of paper." "Can you identify the key ?" , Rickety snatched it from the detective's hand. "Our safe key!" he ejaculated. The detective watched every movement. i Crossing to the safe, Rickety adjusted | the combination number. Then, slipi ping the key in the lock, he swung open ! the door. Instinctively his hand went j in the direction of the accursed gem. ! Hardly had he done so when a cry | escaped his lips. The detective and Miss : Templeton rushed forward just in time . to save him from falling. J "Paste!" i That was his final word.